On the same day that Chad Hall signed with the Eagles after being released from the Air Force following two years of active duty, a report has emerged that the Detroit Lions have extended an offer to Caleb Campbell, who played college football at West Point.
Two years ago, the Lions picked Campbell in round seven of the draft, after he was trotted out by the Army to appear on ESPN and NFL Network (after all, the best advertising is the advertising that doesn’t look like advertising) regarding the possibility of making the rare leap from service academy to pro sports league. But the Department of Defense thereafter said “psyche!” to the Lions, preventing Campbell from avoiding the service obligation that goes along with four years of free college education.
So, for the Lions, it was another wasted pick.
Per the Times Herald-Record of Middletown, New York (via Mlive.com), Campbell says the Lions have offered him a contract following a Tuesday morning workout. He reportedly is preparing the paperwork necessary to secure a release from active duty.
“I ran really, really well,” Campbell said. “I ran a 4.49, 4.50 in
40-yard dash and in drills with the linebacker coach and the special
teams coach.”
As we understand it, the Army commitment would end on May 31. The Lions have declined to comment on the situation.
But here’s where we’re confused. If the goal of the post-Millen regime was to do the opposite of the team’s former CEO, the last draft pick Millen ever made logically wouldn’t be attractive to G.M. Martin Mayhew, who recently complained about the quality of the roster he inherited when he took over the operation — the same roster that he had a role in building.
Caleb Campbell is a feel good story. I am very happy for him, good for him
Hey Florio, Grow Up.
Your reasoning that Caleb Campbell should not be signed by the Lions sucks arse. Caleb Campbell was not part of the roster, so was not part of Mayhew’s criticism.
Whether he was a Millen pick or not I actually applaud the Lions brass for a classy move.
If anything ,if Campbell made the team imagine the leadership skills a West Point grad and former officer in th U.S. Army could bring to the table.
Man…everybody is a joke out there… Martin Mayhew is a tampon without a string. You publicly critize your team, then go out and sign someone who hasn’t played in a few years. Who’s next? Rayn Leaf!
Millen did everything his way and refused to listen to his people. Thats why we were so bad, Mayhew is actually listening to his scouts and HC. Just ask Mooch if Millen listened to anything he said.
And im glad Caleb is finally getting his chance!!!!
Was a total bitch move by the Army. And they wonder why recruitment is down. Hope it works out for Campbell, he definitely deserves a shot after they pulled the rug out from under him last year.
Nice blurb until your last paragraph – you douche.
Millen did everything his way and refused to listen to his people. Thats why we were so bad, Mayhew is actually listening to his scouts and HC. Just ask Mooch if Millen listened to anything he said.
And im glad Caleb is finally getting his chance!!!!
They should sign him because its the right thing to do, even if he doesn’t make the team. They picked him and he got effed by the Army. If he’s still good, he’ll make the team. If not, he won’t. He was a 7th round pick anyways, so whats to say any other 7th rounder would have made the team in the first place?
Don’t be an ass, Florio.
# CapsLockKey says: March 11, 2010 5:38 PM
Was a total bitch move by the Army. And they wonder why recruitment is down. Hope it works out for Campbell, he definitely deserves a shot after they pulled the rug out from under him last year.
——————————————–
Yes, recruitment is down based on a single solitary football player not being allowed to skip his required service. It has nothing to do with the fact that our government has us engaged in an ongoing, unwinnable war. You can look back at the numerous countries, leaders and generals who have tried to win in Afghanistan, it just doesn’t happen. I am sure that if Caleb had been allowed to play football right away we would have already won in Afghanistan.
Good on him for getting a chance to pursue what is an obvious life long dream.
Was it necessary to insult the Lions in that last paragraph? Just cause Millen made the pick doesn’t mean anything. This guy hasn’t even played yet. He had nothing to do with the Lions’ failure over the years. Don’t be an ass, Florio
Mayhew is the only guy in America who has this on his resume:
“I am smarter than Matt Millen”
sure, billions of people are, but Mayhew is the only out there who thinks that is an accomplishment………
Better to be paid fairly well to be on the Lions practice squad than to be paid fairly poor and die in a foreign country.
“Insult the Lions” – is that even possible?
@stnmmc
This lone incident might not have a huge impact, but it damn sure didn’t help. Alot of little things can become one big thing.
Mayhew’s only comeback on Florio’s observation that he was involved in the original pick is to say Millen had my nuts in his hip pocket. That he had no weight, he wasn’t a factor in decision making. That doesn’t engender much confidence. I’m not too concerned about him calling out his roster. I remember Bill Walsh doing it. As a Packer fan, it would be nice to see the Lions climb back into contention; bring back the old Black and Blue!
He has a better chance of suffering post-traumatic stress disorder with the Lions than he does in the Army.
“# mrqtte says: March 11, 2010 6:03 PM
Better to be paid fairly well to be on the Lions practice squad than to be paid fairly poor and die in a foreign country.”
——————————
that’s arguable…
Florio’s usual jabs are in this typical article.
It’s too good of a feel good story NOT to be an issue that he was Millen’s pick. Just the fact he ran a 4.5 40 is significant enough to bring him in.
I know you won’t explain to us why you came to the conclusion to write this article, but you fail to understand the impact for both the Army and Detroit is good. Remember Denver taking a former Marine in Mike Anderson? That worked out well for both sides. Even though Campbell won’t be in the Army anymore, his connection is great for the Army.
Using your logic, Detroit should cut Calvin Johnson as well, right Florio? After all, he was from the Millen era. Way-to-go, Flo-ri-o.
No. Just because Millen was a failure as a GM doesn’t mean every pick he made was a waste. It’s the right thing to do for Mayhew to bring him in and actually – gasp! – evaluate this player, not turn him down because Millen drafted him.
Good try, though.
Youre absolutely right on this one, Florio. You can’t have it both ways. You either want to win football games or you want to have a bunch of feel good stories running around in your teams colors. So if youre going to bring back a player drafted in the seventh round by arguably the worst GM in the history of the game of football, who happens to be a feel good story then that player better damn well produce and he better damn well produce at a high level. When you make comments about how your roster is full of backups then maybe its time to start bringing in STARTERS and not more backups. That being said it looks like the Lions either found themselves a starting outside linebacker or theyll be in the market for a new GM within the next two years.
“If the goal of the post-Millen regime was to do the opposite of the team’s former CEO…”
Based on the PFT article where you are quoting another writer (there is a suprise) it was the author that said “Will Lewand and Mayhew simply think of what Matt Millen would have done and figure out what the opposite is? ” and not Mayhew. Snide comments- generally PFT’s best stock in trade.
Ok, I will break this down for the window lickers in the back. West Point is a MILITARY Academy for the U.S. Army. With that being said, there is an oath (commitment) that one professes in order to attend that Academy. After their graduation, there is a obligated time required for service in the Military. As a Marine for nearly seven years I can say that there is no greater call than to serve in the military. Even if the Detroit Lions select you in the draft. As much as Campbell wanted to be in the NFL, I am sure that he doesn’t regret his time in the military. He went to West Point because he believed in serving his country.
For the liberal freak shows around here, you can still support the troops and not support the War. Maybe if you were willing to serve something bigger than yourselves than maybe you would finally be able to grasp the amazing thing that is an all volunteer force, which is what our military is.
FLORIO—
The Lions are making TREMENDOUS STRIDES, good Lord cut them a break. How do you sleep at night??
Why is a 7th rounder a wasted pick? While it’s been awhile, a certain other team that gets bashed a lot here these days did pretty well with higher “why not” choices,” Bo Jackson and Napoleon McCallum, and the Cowboys would probably suggest that Chad Hennings was worth his slot.
And good point about the current leadership. Millen may have been in over his head, but anyone who thinks that WC Ford, Tom Lewand, and Martin Mayhew weren’t part of the problem wasn’t paying attention.
1. Thanks for posting this story from a Lions fan.
2. You’re an idiot for the last part.
Linking a draft pick who never played in an NFL game to previous Millen busts is a stretch to say the least. Not to mention there was risk with drafting him out of college to begin with. It was a good story then and continues to be now, don’t tarnish it with your moronic “insight.” This article is the perfect example of why I come back to this site even when I often swear I won’t.
Florio, I support you nearly every time with regard to your logic. This one you have absolutely wrong. They are not trying to do the opposite of Millen. If that was true they’d cut Johnson. They are simply looking for talent anywhere they can get it, and this guy showed something before he learned of his required commitment.
If you are physically able to, serving your country as a member of the military is the most courageous and honorable thing a person could do. That, firefighters, police officers, others I’m sure, are the real heroes of this country, not the professional athletes we so often hear that term thrown around as ‘heroes’ because they hit a home run in the clutch, or make the great play in the fourth quarter. Athletic ability sure, but heroic, give me a break. Giving Campbell a free agent contract and a look to see if he can make the team in some capacity is the right thing to do.
Florio, I support you nearly every time with regard to your logic. This one you have absolutely wrong. They are not trying to do the opposite of Millen. If that was true they’d cut Johnson. They are simply looking for talent anywhere they can get it, and this guy showed something before he learned of his required commitment.
Which NBC exec are you blowing to keep your job Florio?
Unless your salary is nothing but a swift kick to the nads each week, you are grossly overpaid.
Your last paragraph might be the dumbest thing you’ve ever posted Mike.
Actually, it is.
the guy already has expressed more commitment than most lions have had in a long time. remember, detroit is the next stop after oblivion for most nfl players. then oakland. or st. louis.
still fast 2 years later. sign him. today.
of course mayhew is an idiot. but like a stopped clock he can be right twice a day. a lot of posters here arent even up to that standard.
and sure it is a volunteer force. but now for a lot of guys, it’s that or unemployment. when the military becomes a real life jobs program, it isnt quite a volunteer force anymore.
serial wars are ruinous. kick out the illegals and the “legal immigrants” who couldnt have come before ’64. and drill here. hell, unemployment is 18% in michigan. who the hell needs illegals.
let foreigners make their own problems and solve their own problems all by themselves, across the border, overseas and far away.
Florio
In the interests of fair journalism, and I know I am stretching it a bit to call this journalism, you should give all Lions stories to Rosenthall or one of the other writers. You have such an obvious anti-Lions sentiment in everything you write about them its pathetic. It certainly doesn’t come off as funny either. Mayhew had every right to complain about the roster he inherited. The evidence is showing that either he had very little control over decisions made in the past or he has had a complete transformation since Millen left. As a Lions fan I like very much what he and the current coaching staff are doing. Resigning Campbell is not only a no risk good football move but a very classy thing to do at the same time. Unlike when you write about the Lions. Step back let people who will at least give everyone a fair shake do their articles in the future.
Im sure its a tiny contract, letting them cut him easily by the end of camp, and with no salary cap, why not bring him in and give him a shot. If he makes it fine, if not, at least he had a chance after being shafted by the Military he was serving